Watering

My friend Kathy had a great post on the importance of drinking water whilst you are on Optifast, and I want to strongly second that. Any good diet emphasizes water, and our program is no different. Because we are on a limited-calorie diet, we need our fluids to keep us healthy. This means drinking at least 64 oz. of water a day -- and for some folks on Optifast 70 even more than that.

Now, I admit wholeheartedly that I was definitely not a water drinker before starting our program. I am addicted to coffee -- and that has not changed. I'm not talking one cup a day. I have at least a carafe every day and then a 20 oz. iced coffee every afternoon. This is my guilty pleasure, and at the present time, I have no intention of giving it up.

When I was first told about the water requirement when you are on Optifast, I shuddered. It sounded extreme, and I had no idea how I was going to meet it. But I was concerned that if I did not follow instructions, my health would suffer. Indeed, my compliance to our program is driven by my desire to stay well as I work towards achieving my goal weight. I figure the guidelines are there for a purpose, and nutritional experts designed our program. If we want to see results, we need to follow things to the letter. So I was going to have to become a water-drinker. Whether I wanted to or not!

I realized pretty quickly that trying to chug all the water down in a short period of time wasn't going to work. My consumption needed to be paced. I began drinking 16 oz. before lunch, and 16 oz. after. That's only two water bottles. Fairly easy. I still do this. I purchased a 20 oz. plastic bottle of Lipton iced tea, cleaned it out, and filled it up with chilled water from the fridge. I drank one bottle before dinner and worked on another before I went to bed. What do you know -- 72 oz. down the hatch!

Over time, I have found myself actually drinking more than this every day. Yes, I still drink my coffee, but I now have two bottles of water after lunch and I am drinking more water in the evening. I actually like it! I feel like I am "cleansing" my body. One thing I have definitely noticed is my skin is radiant from all of the water. I did not know this would happen. What a pleasant surprise! Next to that, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I feel this good not only from the Optifast products, but from all the water. I am healthier because of it.

I know some of you may be struggling to get your daily water in and I really encourage you to push through that. For several reasons. Not only is it required during this period we are in a full fast, it will help you maintain your goal weight after you are back to food. We need to look at this daily water-drinking habit as something we will be doing in the long run. That might seem overwhelming at first, but as you become more adjusted to it, it can become second-nature, like brushing your teeth every day. Our bodies function at their very best when they are well-hydrated. This is a valuable tip I have taken away from the program.

So grab a bottle, fill 'er up, and start drinking!